The prestigious award, given in recognition of the recipient’s personal contribution to the science, technology and industrial exploitation of materials joining, is named in memory of our former Chief Executive and Managing Director, Harry Brooker, who was instrumental in introducing low temperature silver brazing alloys into British industry in 1935. Specifically, it recognises high industrial research or educational responsibility of a character which has beneficially influenced the advancement of materials joining technology.

GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE/NYSE:GSK) and Innoviva, Inc. (NASDAQ: INVA) today announced that the European Commission has approved a label update for the use of once-daily Relvar Ellipta (fluticasone furoate/vilanterol, FF/VI), an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) / long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) combination, in patients whose asthma is already adequately controlled on both an inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting β2-agonist.

SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, is introducing at JEC World 2018 in stand L84, hall 5, new UDMAX™ GPE 46-70 tape, the newest addition to its expanding portfolio of UDMAX unidirectional fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite tape products. Commercially available worldwide, the new glass-filled high-density polyethylene grade is designed for reinforcing industrial applications, such as pipes and pressure vessels, offering unmatched tensile strength. This novel product has one of the highest glass content available in the industry today combined with optimal thermoplastic resin impregnation, thanks to SABIC’s proprietary high-pressure fiber impregnation technology (HPFIT™). By using UDMAX tape to reinforce oil, gas and water pipes, boilers and storage tanks, customers can significantly increase mechanical performance while reducing weight and help improve corrosion resistance in the most demanding environments.

Incroslip SL Granted European Food Contact Approval

14-Feb-2018

Croda International Plc, who create, make and sell speciality chemicals for some of the biggest, most successful brands in the world, today announced that one of its latest innovations, Incroslip SL, has been granted approval for use as an additive in the manufacture of polyolefin plastic materials and articles that come into contact with food according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 as amended. This latest update now allows the product to be used in polyolefin food applications such as packaging films, molding and caps.

Apprenticeships at Bradford

09-Feb-2018

This year BASF plc will be taking on eight apprentices at its site in Bradford. Anyone interested is invited to an Apprentice Open Day at the Low Moor site on Saturday, March 3rd.
Between 10.00 and 14.00 they will be able to learn about apprenticeship opportunities in engineering, the laboratories, warehousing and manufacturing.

Completion of the acquisition of BASF Pischelsdorf, Austria SBR Business

01-Feb-2018

Further to the announcement on 27 September 2017, Synthomer plc (LSE: SYNT) (‘Synthomer’ or the ‘Group’) today announces that it has successfully completed the acquisition of the BASF Austrian SBR business and assets (the ‘Business’). The enterprise value of €30 million was fully funded from existing resources.

INEOS launches six new oil and gas businesses

15-Jan-2018

INEOS Oil and Gas is creating six new businesses. These businesses have been created following the company’s extraordinary 2017 growth. The changes will allow each business to focus on its core activities, providing better decision making and more transparent financial reporting.

Croda Acquires Marine Biotechnology Specialists Nautilus

11-Jan-2018

Croda International Plc, who create, make and sell speciality chemicals for some of the biggest, most successful brands in the world, today announced that it has acquired Nautilus Biosciences Canada Inc (‘Nautilus’), a technology-rich marine biotechnology company based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Synthomer Secures Funding for Major Project Aimed at Doubling Range of Next Generation EVs

05-Jan-2018

Synthomer, a global producer of specialty polymer dispersions - and its partners have together been awarded £7million in Innovate UK funding for a project to develop significantly better materials for Li-ion batteries. The work is an essential step to achieving electric vehicles (EVs) with a range of 400 miles and above.

SABIC MATERIAL ENABLES CERAFILTEC TO SIMPLIFY MODULE DESIGN, EXTEND USEFUL LIFE AND DELIVER HIGH PERFORMANCE UNDER DEMANDING WATER CONDITIONS – ALL WHILE SLASHING COSTS

According to the United Nations 1, water shortages will affect two-thirds of the world's population by 2025 if current consumption patterns continue. CERAFILTEC, a manufacturer of innovative water filtration solutions, is helping to address this looming crisis with a unique filtration module molded from SABIC’s NORYL™ glass-reinforced polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin. The new module securely houses multiple high-performance silicon carbide (SiC) flat sheet membranes that can quickly and effectively filter demanding water sources, including seawater, freshwater, industrial wastewater and even hot water. NORYL™ resin can provide best-in-class hydrolytic and dimensional stability, chemical and high temperature resistance, and is certified for potable water applications under NSF/ANSI Standard 61. These critical properties enabled CERAFILTEC to replace previous modules requiring corrosion-prone steel framing with a fully injection molded design. SABIC is displaying the CERAFILTEC modules featuring NORYL™ resin in a tower configuration at Stand #1.430 here at Aquatech Amsterdam.

Lithene® Exhibiting at International Elastomer Conference

24-Oct-2017

Synthomer’s Lithene ultra® and Lithene ActiV® liquid polybutadienes were promoted for the first time at the International Elastomer Conference, Cleveland, Ohio. This show is the premier event for the rubber and elastomer industry in North America, combining both an extensive technical conference and large trade exhibition.

Synthomer partnered earlier this year with the distributor Chemspec, part of the Safic Alcan Group, to promote Lithene® product sales into the US rubber industry. The Chemspec exhibition stand was used to prominently display the Synthomer and Lithene® names at the show, which was supported by Peter Gallagher, North American Sales Manager for Performance Polymers and Malcolm McInnes, Global Technical Service Manager for Lithene and Specials.

Nicholas Shackley joins to Lead our Pharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturers Services Business

20-Oct-2017

In this role Nicholas will lead Johnson Matthey's (JM) custom development and manufacturing offering to pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers who are developing novel therapies and innovative medication.

This offering includes a broad range of enabling technologies and extensive global facilities including R&D centres located in Devens, Massachusetts and Cambridge, UK as well as manufacturing sites in West Deptford, New Jersey; Conshohocken, Philadelphia; North Andover, Massachusetts; and Annan, Scotland. In addition to the existing offer, Nicholas will be responsible for growing the capabilities through addition of new technologies and assets to service the expanding market for technology-enabled custom development and manufacturing solutions.

Nicholas brings a wealth of experience to JM, having most recently held the positon of Senior Vice President at Aceto Corporation where he was responsible for the pharmaceutical ingredients businesses. Prior to this he has had senior positions at BASF, Cambrex and Avecia and holds a BEng from Imperial College, London.

"We are excited to have Nicholas join our Health sector in this critical position," commented Robert MacLeod, Chief Executive of JM. "His extensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical innovator market coupled with his senior leadership skills will be invaluable in driving our strategic growth-providing solutions to the clinical development and commercial manufacturing needs of the pharma and biotech industries."

The EPOS project

19-Oct-2017
The EPOS project - Enhanced energy and resource Efficiency and Performance in process industry Operations via onsite and cross-sectorial Symbiosis - brings together 5 global process industries from 5 key relevant sectors: steel, cement, chemicals, minerals and engineering.
EPOS's main objective is to enable cross-sectorial Industrial Symbiosis (IS) and provide a wide range of technological and organisational options for making business and operations more efficient, more cost-effective, more competitive and more sustainable across process sectors.

Chemical Industry Action Plan For Low Carbon Growth

13-Oct-2017

One of the UK’s biggest industrial sectors – the chemical industry - is to begin a new programme of decarbonising. The Chemical Industry Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency Action Plan has been agreed by the sector’s joint council with Government – the Chemistry Growth Partnership (CGP).

Claire Perry, Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry and the Joint Chair of the Chemistry Growth Partnership said:“I am pleased to co-sign the joint Government and Chemical Sector Industrial Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency Roadmap Action Plan with the Chemistry Growth Partnership, and thank them for their collaboration on the initiative. The Action Plan sets out how Government and energy intensive industries will collaborate to support the sectors to decarbonise and improve their energy efficiency while maintaining competitiveness, and forms a crucial part of our Clean Growth Strategy that has been published today to set out how the UK will meet its Carbon Budgets.”

Steve Foots Chief Executive of Croda International plc and Joint Chair of the CGP said “The Plan sets out actions ranging from investment in longer pay-back mature technologies to the innovation of new low carbon technologies and is key to our work to increase the sector’s contribution to the UK economy by 50% by 2030.”

“The Action Plan will also help the sector to realise ambitions under the growth strategy, to rebuild UK supply chains on a low carbon basis through the development and scale-up of innovative technologies. This includes making increased use of alternative feedstocks (raw materials) such as bio-resources, waste and captured carbon. We will also aim to achieve resource efficiencies through industrial symbiosis and other existing techniques in our clusters and elsewhere”, said Paul Booth, Chair of the Partnership’s Decarbonisation Working Group

At the same time the chemical industry needs reliable and affordable energy as competitive supplies and a predictable policy framework are key enablers to further investment in the UK chemical sector. Businesses therefore welcome the government’s independent review of energy costs and intention to produce a long term business energy cost roadmap under its industrial strategy.

The action plan also builds on the sector’s long track record for energy efficiency improvements under voluntary agreements with the UK government, most recently: the Climate Change Agreements. Since 1990 the sector has improved its energy efficiency by 35%. This has been achieved through a range of cost effective actions - not least investing in combined heat and power generation (CHP) - which supplies a third of the sector’s power needs.

Nicholas Shackley joins to Lead our Pharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturers Services Business

11-Oct-2017

Developing a Low Carbon Future for the Chemical Industry

03-Oct-2017
This report was commissioned by CGP as part of our work on supporting the decarbonisation and energy efficiency roadmap action plans for Energy Intensive Industries. The report Developing a Low Carbon Future for the Chemical Industry (final report) starts with a technology mapping exercise and case studies and concludes with a number of strategic themes and recommendations..

UK government launches plan to accelerate growth of green finance

18-Sep-2017
New measures to accelerate investment in clean growth by building on the UK’s strength in green finance will be set out later today by Climate Change Minister Claire Perry at the opening ceremony of Climate Week in New York.

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund: joint research and innovation

Claire Perry at Climate Week: UK decarbonising fastest in G20

17-Sep-2017
The UK will continue to play a leading role in tacking climate change while maximising the opportunities for economic growth, Climate Change Minister Claire Perry will say on Monday 18 September.

The minister will be speaking at the opening ceremony of Climate Week in New York, one of the key international climate summits that brings together national governments, businesses and global citizens to build on the collective action on climate change. The summit takes place alongside the UN General Assembly and supports the implementation of the Paris Agreement, as well as the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

New clean energy projects set to power 3.6 million homes

Johnson Matthey donates to hurricane relief efforts

07-Sep-2017
The effects of Hurricane Harvey, which hit the southern US city of Houston on 25 August 2017, are devastating, with countless homes and businesses affected. Known as America's energy centre because of its shipping channels and oil refineries, Houston is home to many members of our Tracerco team.

Modern Apprentices commence their careers at INEOS Grangemouth

01-Sep-2017
At the end of August, our new intake of seven O&P UK Modern Apprentices joined the highly-regarded scheme at INEOS, Grangemouth. Ahead of them is a first class training programme that will see the successful candidates complete their studies with an SVQ qualification and a HNC in partnership with Forth Valley College. In the same week that the INEOS O&P UK Modern Apprentices began their respective courses, nine apprentices have started their careers with the Petroineos Refinery. Along the way they too will combine academic studies at Forth Valley College with practical experience in the unique environment that is Scotland’s only crude oil refinery.

New ceramic 3D printing laboratory opens in Royston

09-Aug-2017
Johnson Matthey is delighted to announce the opening of a new state-of-the-art ceramic 3D printing facility in Royston, UK.

INEOS Shale obtains High Court injunctions protecting the public and its people, sites and supply chain

31-Jul-2017
The injunctions prohibit unlawful acts by protestors including trespass and harassment
Any obstruction of INEOS Shale’s business, people or suppliers is now a contempt of court – including slow walks and lock-ons
The injunctions do not interfere with the right to lawful, peaceful protest
INEOS presented the court with extensive evidence of shale protestors involved in intimidation and dangerous direct action, putting themselves and others at risk.
Read More

INEOS Styrolution publishes second sustainability report according to GRI guidelines

31-Jul-2017
INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, published its second sustainability report today, which complies with the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the acknowledged benchmark reporting standard in this field. It is based on the principles of the GRI’s fourth-generation (G4) sustainability reporting guidelines at the ‘core level’.

Croda Invests in Novel Technology Company Cutitronics

25-Jul-2017
Croda International Plc (‘Croda’), the name behind high performance ingredients and technologies that are relied on by industries and consumers everywhere, has today announced their investment in the multi-award winning company Cutitronics, who has developed a novel digital solution to meet the demands of personal care consumer.

Croda Acquires Research Enterprise Enza Biotech

21-Jul-2017

Croda International Plc (‘Croda’), who make, create and sell innovative and sustainable speciality chemicals has today announced its acquisition of Enza Biotech AB, a research enterprise established as a spin-out company from Lund University in Sweden.

INEOS Shale has today written to the National Trust asking the organisation to discuss plans to geologically survey Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire. INEOS has repeatedly tried to arrange a meeting, but the Trust refuses to even speak to the company.

£100 million Rutherford Fund to attract best researchers to the UK

05-Jul-2017

Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson today (4 July 2017) confirmed the government is investing £100 million to attract highly skilled researchers to the UK through its new Ernest Rutherford Fund.
The Rutherford Fund will provide fellowships for early-career and senior researchers, from the developed world and from emerging research powerhouses such as India, China, Brazil and Mexico, helping to maintain the UK’s position as a world-leader in science and research

New Era in Circular Economy

04-Jul-2017

The upgraded recycling technology developed by Fater is uniquely able to sanitize and separate used diapers and upcycle them into secondary raw materials like plastics, cellulose, and absorbing material. EMBRACED brings a consortium of 13 partners together to create capability how to turn recycled cellulose from used diapers into bio-products in a way that creates value.

Government’s clean energy drive

20-Jun-2017

Speaking today (Tuesday 20 June) at the Rushlight Showcase, Minister of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Claire Perry announced funding for 2 innovative clean energy projects which will create local investment opportunities across the country.

Euston, This is Emission Control

THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY AWARDS 2017

16-Jun-2017

The winners of the 2017 Chemical Industry Awards have been announced at a celebration dinner held at the Queens Hotel in Leeds on 15 June.
Speaking to industry representatives in attendance, Chief Executive of the Chemical Industries Association Steve Elliott said: “The quality of our Award entries gets higher each year. I want to pay tribute to all who entered and congratulate all of our winners for their achievement. As these awards show, alongside the work our sector does day in day out, we are a winning industry. Thank you to the women and men who lead and work in our companies”.

Brexit debate at 2017 BCF

12-Jun-2017

The British Coatings Federation (BCF) held their 2017 Annual Conference in Manchester in May and the programme included a lively Brexit panel chaired by the BCF’s CEO Tom Bowtell, with Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of Chemical Industries Association (CIA), Terry Scuoler of EEF, Journalist and Broadcaster Isabel Oakeshott and Jan Van der Meulen, Managing Director of the European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists' Colours Industry (CEPE).

STEADY YEAR-ON-YEAR

05-Jun-2017

The distributor member companies of the Chemical Business Association (CBA) delivered a steady year-on-year health, safety, and environmental performance in 2016 according to the latest Indices of Performance Report.

Preliminary results for the year

Start of Major Capital Expansion at Hull

15-May-2017

Croda International Plc, the speciality chemicals company who creates high performance ingredients and technologies relied on by industries and consumers everywhere, today (16 May 2017) announced the start of its major capital expansion project at its Hull manufacturing site in Yorkshire attended by the local Lord Mayor, MP and Councillors.

INEOS to spend hundreds of millions of Euros building a new 300kt Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM) plant

09-May-2017
NEOS Oxide announces that it is planning to build a 300 kt vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant to support its strong position as a supplier to a broad range of markets, including the coatings, films and adhesives markets.

Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd., recognised as one of the world’s leading suppliers of innovative nanomaterials including graphene, 2D boron nitride and single-wall carbon nanotubes, has announced the establishment of an experienced Technology Advisory Panel.

Synthomer plc Acquisition of Perstorp Oxo Belgium AB

06-Apr-2017

Synthomer plc (LSE:SYNT) ('Synthomer' or the 'Group'), a leading speciality chemicals company, today announces the acquisition of Perstorp Oxo Belgium AB (‘Perstorp Belgium’) from The Perstorp Group, a speciality chemicals innovator and supplier based in Sweden.

Meeting Sustainability Needs of the Lubricants Industry

04-Apr-2017

Croda Lubricants introduce their new brochure ‘Formulating with Confidence for the Benefit of the Environment’. Aimed at finished lubricant producers, it outlines the European Eco-label, Vessel General Permit and OSPAR regulations and the Croda products which meet them. The brochure illustrates the solutions from Croda by highlighting performance data and typical physical properties.

Johnson Matthey opens market at London Stock Exchange to celebrate 200 years of inspiring science

03-Apr-2017

Johnson Matthey is a global leader in science that makes the world cleaner and healthier. The company was founded in Hatton Garden in 1817 by Percival Norton Johnson as a gold assaying business. His pioneering work in determining precious metal content and refining precious metals quickly established his reputation for quality and accuracy.

Johnson Matthey retains position in key sustainability rankings

31-Mar-2017

In March Johnson Matthey received an 'AAA' MSCI ESG (environment, social and governance) rating for the fifth year in a row, the highest possible distinction, placing us above specialty chemicals industry peers. Scores are based upon a robust set of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) factors and assess a company's risk and performance against these.

Collaboration for Accelerated Innovation in the UK Chemical Industry.

15-Mar-2017

Croda International Plc, the name behind high performance ingredients and technologies that are relied on by industries and consumers everywhere, is today holding a technology exchange event with over 35 universities from across the UK at their global headquarters in Yorkshire.

High performance Graphene Coatings brought one step closer by leading chemical manufacturer

13-Mar-2017

Thomas Swan will announce to the British Coating Federation on 15th March 2017 the launch of a new Elicarb® Graphene product designed specifically for coatings formulators. Elicarb® Graphene Epoxy Dispersion is a cost effective, stable, easy to handle dispersion of Elicarb® Materials Grade Graphene powder for formulation into epoxy-based coating formulations. The product is available now in litre quantities for testing and evaluation.

Award for Most Innovative Use of Green Chemistry

07-Mar-2017

Croda International Plc, the name behind high performance ingredients and technologies, was honoured to receive the NYSCC Award for “Most Innovative Use of Green Chemistry” at The Future of Sustainability conference on February 15, 2017. Croda was recognised for its new 100% Bio-based ECO Range of ingredients, which will enable its customers to meet their goals of delivering 100% renewable, high-performance products to their consumers and reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels. These high-performing, 100% renewable, 100% bio-based ethoxylates will be used across the multiple industries Croda serves including Personal Care

First product at ENVIA Energy's GTL plant

06-Feb-2017

Velocys plc (VLS.L), the company at the forefront of smaller scale gas-to-liquids (GTL), is pleased to announce that first Fischer-Tropsch product has been successfully produced at ENVIA Energy's GTL plant in Oklahoma City.